Automatic fishing-reel.



M. MOLNA-R. AUTOMATIC FISHING REEL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1914.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

MICHAEL 'MOIZINAIR, 0F MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC FISHING-REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed may 6, 1914. Serial No. 836,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL MOLNAR, a' citizen of the United States,residing at No. 95 Speedwell avenue, in the town of Morristown, in thecounty of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulAutomatic Fishing-Reel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fish reel adapted to be secured to anysuitable support, as for example some convenient portion of a boat orvessel and which will provide for automatic release of the reel when theline is drawn upon, and also to give a signal at such times, andfurthermore While releasing the reel to provide a suflicient resistanceand thereby regu late the speed with which the line is rewound.

The invention also consists in the novel features of constructionhereinafter described, pointed out in the" claimsand shown -in theaccompanying drawings in which 7 Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2is an end view partly brolren away and in section. Fig.3 is alongltudinal vert1cal section. Fig. at is a detail'sectional viewillustrating .a portion of the signal device.

In the drawings 1 indicates suitable circular plates havingdependinglugs 2 by means of which the device may be attached to asuitable rail, bar or other device. I also provide centrally cut outplates 3 having depending lugs 4. and plates 1 provided on oppositesides with flanges 5 and 5, respectively, the flanges 5 engaglng theplates 3 and the members 6 of a suitable reel resting within the flanges5. The plates '1 and 3 and the flanges 5 form suitable housings spacedapart and between which the reel 7 and its side members 6 is placed.

One of the flanges 5 is cut out as shown at 9 and to one side of thereel member 6 is secured a ratchet wheel 10. An arm 11 is pivotallymounted on the housing of which the flange 5 is a part and projectsthrough the opening 9 terminating in a pawl 12 which engages the ratchet10. A pivoted catch 12", is carried by the pawl 12 and has a shoulder 13which is adapted to engage one edge of the slot 9 and a spring 11normally holds said shoulder in engagement with the said edge, and whenso engagedthe pawl 12 is held out of engagement with the ratchet 10. Theupper part of the arm 11 carries a bracket 15 in which is mounted twospools or rollers 16, and a line 17 a portion of which is wound on thereel 7 runs between these rollers. Acomparatively stiff spring 18 iscarried by one side of the arm vice, 19. L v

The reel is mounted on a shaft 20 and upon a suitable sleeve surroundingthe shaft one end portion of the shaft projects from the reel andthrough a pinion 22, said sleeve being indicated at 21 and being pinnedto the shaft. At the end opposite the pinion the sleeve terminates inone member of a clutch 23, the other member of the clutch being carriedby a shaft 25 which passes through one of the housings. A similar shaft25 passes through the other housing and has a clutch member 26 whichcooperates with a clutch member 24: carried by the shaft 20. In each ofthe housings thus formed is a springcasing 27 the periphery of eachbeing provided with a series of openings 28. Each spring casing alsocarrles on its outer face a cylindrical housing 29 which projectsthrough the opening of the ad acent plate 3. Suitable springs 30 arearranged in the spring casings being secured to said casings and to theshafts 25 and 25 respectively and to the reel 7 by meansof the clutchmembers previously referred to.

The shafts 25 and 25 have end extensions 31 slightly larger in diameterthan the remaining portions of the shaft which extensions work outwardlythrough the casings 29 and are bifurcated at their outer ends and insaid bifurcations are pivoted cam levers 32 which when in normalposition hold the clutch members above mentioned in engagement, but whenthrown into horizontal position said levers will draw the extensionsoutwardly thereby separating said members and disengaging shaft 25 and25 from the shaft 20. Suitable rings 33 are secured to the casings 29said rings being provided with suitable lugs or extensions to whichhandles 34 may be conveniently secured for" the purpose of winding thesprings.

through which works a spring pressed pin 39, these pins being mounted inthe brackets 37 and being adapted to engage the openingsthe shaft 20meshes with a pinion 42 carried on the side of the plate 2, and which ison a stub shaft upon which is also mounted a gear 43 that meshes withthe pinion 22.

On the extensions 31 are placed coil springs 31 which normally hold theclutch members together, they being separated against pressure of saidsprings by the action of the cam levers 32, when thrown in horizontalposition.

The pinion 22 is secured or fixed in any suitable manner to the reel 7while the large gear 41 is fixed to the shaft 20 to turn with the sleeve21, and the gear 43 is secured to the pinion 42 or they may be madeintegral as shown.

In use the reel isfastened to one side of a boat, or on land to asuitable tripod or stand by means of the lugs 2 and 4, with the arm 11extending toward the water. The line 17 is wound on the reel between thetwo gear houses and passes from the reel directly between the rollers 15and 16. Before casting the line arm; 11 is pushed forward therebylocking pawl 12 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 10 and bringing theshoulder 13 of the pawl 12 into engagement with an end of slot 9. Torelease the line cam levers 32 are moved outwardly or dropped intohorizontal position, which releases clutch 24 and the reel. This,iseffected by springs 31 removing clutch members 26 from the members 24and disconnecting them from shaft 25. After casting the line the camlevers are returned to original position and arm 11 drawn back by handwhich prevents further releasing of the line. The springs 30 are thenwound upby means of the handles 34. .The device is then ready forfishing. A bite or pull on the bait trips the arm 11 releasing the pawl12 from the ratchet 10 and at the same time returns the shoulder 13 tothe slot 9 where it is again locked. This movement is signaled by thebell 19. The springs 30 now being released rotate the reel and draw inthe fish. The pins 39 prevent the spring from flying back suddenly bydropping into the openings 28, which are spaced regularly about thespring casings.

The gear wheels 22 and 42 byincreasing the number of revolutionsrequired to wind the line rapidly.

While one coil spring would be sufficient in river work with small,fish, two are considered better for deep sea fishing.

What I claim is 1. A device of the land described comprising springhousings spaced apart, a reel mounted between said housings, springs inthe housing, shafts for said springs, a shaft for the reel, clutchmembers carried respectively, by the spring shafts and the reel shaft,speed increasing gearing cooperating with the reel shaft, means forseparately prevent the fish being drawn in too winding said springs,means for separately actuating the clutches connecting the spring shaftwith the reel shaft, and means for locking said reel against rotation,said looking means being released by pull upon a line wound upon saidreel.

2. A spring actuated reel comprising housings spaced apart, means forconnecting said housings and holding them in fixed position, a rotatablereel arranged between the housings and partially inclosed therein, ashaft for said reel, springs in said housings, means for connecting saidsprings to said reel, gearing interposed between the shaft and reel,means, for locln'ng said reel against said rotation, and alarm devicecarried by said locking means, said means being agitated upon release ofthe locking means, and a line windable on said reel and engaging saidloclcing device and adapted to trip the same when pulled on.

MICHAEL MOLNAR. Witnesses AGNES M. BEAN,

JAMES R. NooRLrus.

